A Quick Trip

Pixxa lives very close to the Indiana border, so she plans a quick trip out-of-state. (Sorry for the bad photography!)

P: There's the sign...you're not in Illinois anymore
T: We're in Indiana!!

P: There's the sign.

T: This is exciting...my first visit to a casino.

P: There it is! Let's get parked.

T: How do these slots work anyway?
P: I don't know. I've never seen this kind before.

(What you can't see in this pix is that the telephone is all gold tone and not silver...they thought it was a slot machine because it was gold. Okay...it seemed funny at the time.)

T: That was fun!
P: It would have been more fun if we'd won!!

A Night at the Theatre

Trichelle couldn't come to Chicago and not see theatre. One of the great things about Chicago is that there are the "fancy" plays downtown, but there is also a wealth of community theater productions available. Pixxa decided to take Trichelle to A History Lesson: A Celebration of Black History's Past, Present and Future.

T: Oops...I'm in the spotlight...where I belong!
P: Silly...come on and let's get in our seats. They're starting.

T: Okay, okay. Where are our seats?

P: Here we are. This is our row. Come on.
T: I'll be glad when we sit down because (Trichelle turns her head to talk over her shoulder) this lady behind me keeps bumping into me.

Lady: Oh I'm sorry! I'm just trying to get to my seat too. You see, I'm the publicist for this event and we have an important client here and...and I'm just so nervous---sorry...I'm rambling. I just need to sit (pause)...Pixxa? Is that you?
P: (in a questioning tone) Yes? I'm Pixxa.

The ladies find that they are seated next to each other.
Lady: It's been a while but you look just the same. It's your cousin, Mila.
P: Oh my goodness...Mila...it's been ages!

The people behind shush them.

They turn and whisper "sorry!"

Pixxa slips out to get a program and returns.

And the three ladies sit mesmerized and watch the play.

After the play was over the three quickly chatted about the high points and agreed that this production was excellent.

M: I've got to get back to the client. We're trying to get funding to take this production on the road. But we should get together. Let's meet for lunch next week.
P: Okay! I'll call you. (as Mila scribbles her phone number on the program and runs off).

And with that Pixxa and Trichelle head home, laughing and talking about the play and the how lucky it was that they ran into Mila.

An Afternoon on North Michigan Avenue Part 2

T: It certainly is windy!
P: Yep...you're in the windy city---even though the reason we're called the windy city actually has nothing to do with the wind.

T: Really? Well what does it mean?
P: I'll just say that it refers to politics in Chicago...you know, guys full of hot air!
T: Oh that's funny!!

P: Here's Neiman Marcus! It's one of my favorite stores!

T: I see Saks...wow, everything is here!

P: Princess Tiana from The Princess and The Frog!

T: I love The Disney Store!

T: Look at this neat window at Burberry!
P: Yep, I guess they are featuring cotton, huh?

P: The Apple Store

P: This Crate and Barrel is THE BEST!!!

P: Uh-oh...I know what store this is!!

T: TIFFANY'S!!!

P: Here's Vicky's Secrets!!
T: Cute name!!

T: They have a cute window. I love my body too!!

T: Is this...
P: Yep...the Hershey Store!!!

T: I wonder how long it would take me to eat this candy bar.

T: So this is how they make the chocolate!

T: Pixxa, do you think this is enough chocolate syrup?
P: I think it will last you a little while, at least!

They both laugh!
T: Oh Pixxa, look...

T: It's a Hershey's Kiss just for me!

T: And they put Ghiradelli right across the street from Hershey?
P: A chocolate lover's haven!!

P: Here we are on Rush Street. Further down is where people party on the weekends.

P: And here's Ditka's. Mike Ditka was the coach of our football team, The Bears.

P: I just love his logo/caricature!
T: It is cute!

P: Well, we're back to Oak Street. The car should be right down the block.
T: Good...I'm ready to sit down after all of the site-seeing and shopping!

But they couldn't resist one more window on the way to the car!

An Afternoon on North Michigan Avenue Part 1

Who can come to Chicago and not go shopping on North Michigan Avenue, also known as The Gold Coast!! Pixxa and Trichelle start their afternoon on Oak Street, a street that is known for the cute (and expensive) little boutique-type stores.

T: You are so lucky to live here with all of this shopping!
P: Lucky? My hubby doesn't think so when all of the bills come in?

T: Ooooo...sparkley!!

P: I love Bebe!
T: Let's go in!
P: Okay!!

P: We're on Michigan Avenue now. Trichelle, you must pose here by the One Magnificent Mile sign!

P: And directly behind you, the shorter building is The Drake Hotel. That's a great place to go for High Tea. The tall building next to The Drake was originally the Palmolive Building but later became the headquarters for Playboy Enterprises. Yep, the bunnies! And of course the black building is the John Hancock Building.

A quick stop at Bloomingdales.


P: Let's see if I can get you in the pix with the top of the John Hancock Building. Did you know that this is the 6th tallest building in the United States? There's a restaurant on the 95th floor called The Signature Room. It's one of the finest restaurants in the city.

P: And this is Fourth Presbyterian Church.



T: What a beautiful building!!


P: And of course, there's Water Tower.

P: One of the anchors is the American Girl Place store.

P: The other anchor is Macy's, which took over Marshall Field's stores.

P: And here is the actual Water Tower. It's one of the few buildings that survived The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and I think it's the only building that survived the fire that is still standing.


P: Come on, let's cross the street...there's still more to see!